What video games should kids play?

Wednesday

Feb 22, 2012 at 12:01 AMFeb 22, 2012 at 10:01 PM

Kids love video games - they're exciting, fun and engrossing. While games can promote learning and growth, too much video gaming - or playing inappropriate games - can lead to negative consequences. What should parents know to make good game choices for their children? Follow the link to read our tips.

Tip of the Week

Kids love video games - they're exciting, fun and engrossing. While games can promote learning and growth, too much video gaming - or playing inappropriate games - can lead to negative consequences. What should parents know to make good game choices for their children?

Ola Gardner, a faculty member in Game Art & Design at The Art Institute of Atlanta, offers these tips when selecting games for kids:

- Become familiar with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. These ratings are designed to help potential players understand the game's content and offer guidance on which games are appropriate for different ages.

- Explore www.familyfriendlyvideogames.com. This site provides a report card on games, with detailed descriptions of game content, technical performance and kid friendliness.

- Understand the types of games on the market: edutainment (educational games focusing on teaching the player), role playing games (that offer deep story and character development), action games (that train and enhance hand-eye coordination), simulation games (building vehicles such as planes or cars) and strategy games.

- Use online reviews, ask other parents, ask the staff at your local store - and play games with your kids.

It's also important for parents to understand the different game platforms. "Generally Nintendo (Wii and the portable 3DS system as well) is a very kid-friendly platform to purchase for younger children. The Sony PlayStation3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 have kid-friendly games to play as well, though parents need to exercise caution as some of the games released are for adults only," says Nick Viola, a Game Art & Design faculty member at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. "The Wii and the Xbox 360 Kinect encourage families to play together and get the players off the sofa."

- ARA

Family Movie Night: Oscars edition

Want to check out some of the Oscar-nominated films before the show? Here are the films nominated for best Animated Feature Film:

- "A Cat in Paris," a French film about a cat who prowls around with a cat burglar. Not rated. 70 minutes.

Synopsis: Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home — and his own art — through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better. Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. - HarperCollins Publishers

Did You Know

According to a study conducted in England, even if kids only get one hour of physical activity a day, they will be more healthy than kids who don’t get any exercise.